The present invention relates to a plant tube for use in flower pots. Some species of plants, e.g. ivy and Scirpus, grow in a more or less loose hanging manner, and for presenting these plants in an improved manner it is already customary to let them grow up from a relatively narrow tube, which is stuck down into a central area of the earth or growing medium in an ordinary plant pot. As the plant grows it may then rise over the upper edge of the narrow tube and thus become "hanging" from an increased height.
In practice the tube is mounted and filled partially with a growth medium, and the plant is supplied to this medium as a sprout or a seed. The roots, of course, grow downwardly and may gradually project through the lower end of the tube and into the surrounding growth medium of the pot.
Thus, the lower end portion of the tube should be provided with holes located somewhat spaced above the bottom of the pot. It is customary that this is achieved by shaping the tube such that its lower end portion, in which side holes are provided, is narrowing conically downwardly to form a pointed end portion, whereby the tube is easy to stick down into the earth filled pot.
Such tubes are used in large numbers and should of course be produced in a cheap manner, preferably by die casting of a cheap plastic material. The provision of the said holes in the conical end portion may cause some troubles with respect to the formation of thin material fins projecting inwardly from the hole edges towards the centre of the respective holes, and seen in the axial direction of the tube such fin portions will greatly reduce the available penetration area of the roots. Already the holes themselves do not provide for any large penetration area, since the area of the remaining wall of the conical tube end portion is of about the same size as the total area of the holes.
It is the purpose of the invention to provide a plant tube which has an advantageous shape and is easy to produce.
According to the invention the tube has a generally non-narrowing shape adjacent its lower end and is provided with one or more downwardly projecting protrusions of a thin-walled planar or part-cylindrical shape. In this context the term "thin-walled" will refer to a wall thickness of the same magnitude as the wall thickness of the tube itself. In this manner the tube may show a wide aperture at the lower end thereof, such that the roots may seek downwardly practically without any obstruction.